Leyland National 50 Years. At St Helens bus museum

Celibrating 50 years of the Leyland National bus at the North west museum of transport in St Helens Merseyside.

[@neilmustow368]

Lovely video some great example Nationals part of my childood are these buses my Dad worked at the Workington Lillyhall factory for over 20 happy years👍👍👍

[@Merseywail]

Thanks Neil, the National was a very popular bus, that so many are preserved is testament to that

[@Mitch-Hendren]

Aww happy memories going to school in Prescot on the 89 . 😊 The acceleration was terrific compared to the double deck Leyland's that preceded it ... Loved the old buses though lots of character hop on hop off the back platform.. Funny story ,when the M57 was being built Huyton lane road bridge over it had to be built. While they were doing it .they had made a temporary road .. there was a sharp right turn then a very steep hill to the level of the motorway . Then another steep bank and a left turn onto carr lane then to wood lane then back on to the alignment . Just as we'd got to the bottom .there was a large ramp onto the motorway surface. There was an almighty jolt . someone's shopping bag fell over and as the bus started up the very steep hill all her tins and that rolled off the platform 😊 conductor rang the bell . driver stopped . A few people and the conductor got off and rescued her shopping from the roadside👍👍 . Then we continued... Funny what you remember as a child . I'm 58 now must have only been 6 or 7 then . But even remember the tins.. bright yellow . Fine fare yellow pack .. and here we are 50 years on with Asda yellow packs .. history just repeats ..... Brilliant video . Sorry I miss these events but been in Northern Ireland since 1993 .

[@Merseywail]

Lol, I can just imagine the embarrassment. If I was on that bus I would probably been thrown off for laughing. But good to hear everyone helped her out

[@WOLFIE-96B-UK]

Drove mk1 and mk2 Nationals as well as Bristol Re's in the 70s. Fantastic buses with class and style. Sorely missed in today's bland world!

[@Merseywail]

They had something that's true. A classic design

[@Tenko2007]

Thanks for the video.I never knew st Helens had a bus musuem. I shall be paying a visit in the near future

[@Merseywail]

Yes it's well worth a visit. They try to have a vintage bus ride on Sundays, dependant on availability of volunteers

[@Andrewjg_89]

I do remember those Leyland buses when I used to live near Norwich. Nice to see them still there as heritage buses.

[@Merseywail]

Yes they were pretty much everywhere, hard to believe they were introduced 50 years ago

[@Andrewjg_89]

Interesting. Thanks for the info 😊

[@stevenbrindley2469]

Great video. Takes me back to my childhood riding those Leyland National buses.

[@Merseywail]

Cheers, much missed buses.

[@kieranstravels]

Great video mate!

[@Merseywail]

Cheers

[@dufushead]

PD2's I used to go to school on them, Ribble. Loved this video, filming and production was ace. Sound of that PD2 pulling away, fantastic.

[@Merseywail]

Cheers. Used to travel on the Ribble PD2s as well. But my favourite has to be the Ribble PD3 flat front forward entrance ones.

[@dufushead]

@@Merseywail You're right there MW, proper class they were.

[@Merseywail]

@@dufushead certainly were

[@DavidHennessey1984]

0:56 - Caught snapping! 🤣 Yes folks, that's me. And I turn up a few times in the video too (sorry for unintentionally spoiling any shots, if I did)... Great day out that was. Thanks for sharing!

[@Merseywail]

Lol, It was a great day out, St Helens usually put a good show on

[@andrewrice6596]

When buses ( and cars ) had character.

[@Merseywail]

They did, now just bland boxes & characterless clones

[@marksinthehouse1968]

The national or LS in London was a great work horse we had 444 mk1 and mk2 for the red arrow ,still looks modern today easy to drive too .

[@Merseywail]

They certainly wouldn't look out of place today. Perhaps not low floor but in styling they were way ahead

[@marksinthehouse1968]

@@Merseywail they did do a flat floor national if I’m right and South Yorkshire PTE had a kneeling national so maybe they were thinking ahead then ,I miss the PTEs and NBC ,do you let visitors drive certain buses who have a PCV on special days

[@Merseywail]

@@marksinthehouse1968 I can't speak for the st helens guys, but most groups do let qualified drivers have a go

[@marksinthehouse1968]

@@Merseywail nice one ,many thanks ,all the best , Mark 👍🏻

[@davidmills4292]

Great bus nearly as great as the mighty atlantaen comfy seats unlike the recycled coke cans on wheels of today

[@Merseywail]

So true, can't have a comfy journey on modern buses now, or on trains either. Their excuse is usually fire regulations. I don't recall bus or train seats suddenly bursting into flames

[@davidmills4292]

@@Merseywail constant numb bum especially on an Alexander Dennis double decker

[@Merseywail]

@@davidmills4292 tell me about it. Thought my arse had died on a trip from Preston to Liverpool on one

[@davidmills4292]

@@Merseywail that would be the x2 I take it I preferred it when they ran a single decker coach type bus on that route it seemed quicker as well

[@Merseywail]

@@davidmills4292 yep the x2

[@trainrover]

hmmm...what must the advantage to the drivers themselves be should they coast in neutral? I mean, do they buy the fuel out of their very own pockets or something? (sub/urban buses hereabouts have had automatic transmissions since the war or even earlier)

[@Merseywail]

That's something the original operators would have requested. Now there all privately owned it will be up to them

[@trainrover]

yet, please, instruct me: why was coasting like that preferred such that it had to be outright prohibited? I'm stumped 👀

[@Merseywail]

@@trainrover perhaps gear box issues

[@trainrover]

as in wearing out clutches...hmmmm

[@Merseywail]

@@trainroverthis is an extract from the Leyland national manual :- " 5. Don't coast in neutral ; the types of gear box fitted may be damaged by over-speeding of gears."